Battle of the foundations: Chanel vs NARS

The products in the battle: 

Chanel Pro Lumiere Long wear Flawless make up.
It claims: "The skin-embracing texture becomes one with the face, following its every movement. Its Perfect Skin Affinity complex ensures a second-skin effect and perfect foundation hold for 15 hours."
Its price:  £31.00

Packaging.  With its black and white monochrome type packaging, this product has the archetypal  Chanel look which I love, plus it looks great in your collection. 

Price.  Like with most Chanel products you're paying mostly for the brand.  Personally I think if you're going to go with a non-drugstore brand you should expect to pay £30 plus

The product itself. It's certainly a lightweight foundation, very hydrating and perfect for Spring/Summer. It's also very buildable so you can really get your monies worth by using it day and night.  The colour for me is also perfect - I find it hard to get a good foundation match as I'm super pale with freckles. Also it isn't heavy -  doesn't have that 'mask like' feel that you often find with foundations.

Does it live up to its claim? well...yes and no. I'm really happy with this foundation however for me, it doesn't last all day - certainly not 15 hours!


NARS Sheer Glow.

It Claims: "A glowing, natural radiant finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage that immaculately evens skin tone. It leaves skin hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother. Used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves the skin's brightness and texture"

 Its price: £36.00

Packaging.  A lot like Chanel, NARS has a very uniform look to all of their products. Again... I like that, it means the brand is easily recognisable and looks good in your make up collection.

Price.  As I said before - non-high street foundations aren't cheap.  I don't think £36 is a lot for a foundation that you love.  But admittedly it feels a little steep if you're buying for the first time.

The product itself.  I was surprised by this product, I really liked it, the colour was a good match, the coverage wasn't as lightweight as I expected but that was fine for me as I tend to build mine up anyway.  But if you're looking for a very sheer foundation, this probably isn't the one for you.

Does it live up to its claim? Again, yes and no - The colour and consistency were good, however I didn't feel as though it made my skin any smoother, neither did it improve the brightness.

In my personal opinion this battle goes to Chanel - its colour and lovely hydrating texture is perfect for me.

Have you tried either of these foundations? Let me know what you think.

L x

A very Sleek purchase...

...see what I did there.

I've been using Sleek for a while now, I have a few bits in my collection and I LOVE them. So naturally im always wanting more!

First thing I picked up was - Face Form - £9.99 - in 'Light'
 

I was super excited to be buying this, as it's one of their best sellers they've ALWAYS been sold out of my shade. Which as we all know is a sad little feeling, especially when you're desperate to try something! It's the sister product to their contouring kit and it's multi use compact consisting of - contouring powder, highlighter and blusher.

I really have nothing bad to say about this product, its amazing! The soft highly pigmented powder goes onto the skin easily and blends like a dream. The blush also has flecks of gold for that perfect Summer 'glow'.

All that perfection is one little compact - perfect!


And because one thing clearly isn't enough, I also picked up - I-Divine Palette  in Au Naturel - £7.99

Ok so I have to admit - I rarely buy eye shadows. I pretty much stick to my look of liquid liner with a classic flick on a plain lid. 

However I've seen a few looks lately using some gorgeous eye shadow palettes and I decided to get in on the action.

The palette follows the same look as all of their other products. Its light, compact and consists of  12 shades of highly-pigmented, super soft yet buildable mineral based shadows, both shimmer and matte for a selection to suit your mood.

Overall I'm pretty happy with this palette, its a good place to start if you don't have many eye-shadows in  your collection!

Have you bought anything new from Sleek lately?

L x 

Coffee break review #2 - Spring Nails

Oooh... I've just been loving this seasons nail colours.  I find myself buying one almost every time I go out (its getting to be quite the expensive habit) and these are a couple that I've been loving lately.


First up...

...Models Own - in Lilac Sheen 'HyperGel'

£5.00

As you as you can tell from the title, this polish has a gel type consistency - goes on beautifully... a very, very smooth application. Its thick but easy to use formula, means that you could get away with one coat.

The colour is super cute - a fresh pretty colour for spring.

L'Oreal Color Riche in - 852 Pistachio Dragée

£4.99

A 'minimal' nail . It's colour without being OTT - for those with a desire to pursue the trend nail colours this season.

Like most light nail colours the initial application is streaky, but girls stick with it because the end result is just so chic.

Models Own Fruit Pastel Collection - Scented Nail Polish - Banana Split

£5.00

First up I just need to say - the scratch & sniff on the top is just too cute! Feels so retro and totally smells like bananas!

I'm impressed with Models Own at the moment, their nail polishes are amazing and this one is no exception. As with the L'Oreal colour above, all lighter colours initially tend to be streaky. This one though is slightly more forgiving in its application - a very pretty bright and an on-trend colour for spring.

 

Last but not least is...

...Revlon 'Textiles collection' - Leather Cuir

£6.49

A gorgeous blue colour -  with a slightly gritty texture. Goes on very well, a gorgeous on trend colour.

Compared to my review on L'Oreal jeans effect, I'd been looking for a textured nail that I love and this is it!

I'm pretty sure these are limited editions though girls so buy them while you can!

Tell me what spring trends have you been loving?

L x

A little nostaliga...

Today I woke up feeling a little nostalgic, which got me onto thinking about the wonderful yet cringe inducing time that was the 90's and early 2000's. 

Here are some things that I thought were great about my childhood.

First up - I think you'll all agree that technology has come a long way in the last 10 years but my journey started with this bad boy...

..the Nokia 5110.  In 2014 this is bigger than most land line phones, but in the early 2000's It was SO COOL.  I'd spend ages carefully changing the cover and buttons, playing Snake and listening to those infamous ring tones.  All of those 'fancy applications' were probably a good thing as back then the cost of a text was so expensive...no fancy price plans I'll have you know...

Can you believe this came out in 1998?! wow.

Speaking of technology, does anyone remember...
 
...The Talkboy?

It was a portable cassette player and recorder that just made you one step closer to your dream of becoming a member of the Spice Girls. Me and my friends would get together and sing into it, then take it in turns to interview each other... I think you'll agree we were pretty darn cool....

But ... if you wanted to listen to the real Spice Girls opposed to the poor quality sound of you and your friends, you could do so on this...

That ever so stylish and 'compact' Walkman Cassette Player.

Oh the hours that i've spent 'bopping' around my room to the sounds of the 90's on this device. I remember having to take a rucksack out with my friends so that I was able to carry around the tapes and annoying everyone because they could hear the sound so clearly coming from the headphones.

 and listening to these religiously on it....

I was OBSESSED with the Spice Girls, I even broke the tape from playing it too much ... now that's dedication...

anyone else remember this...?

I'd beg my mum to buy me these magazines whenever we went to the shop...

and I loved getting the freebies that came with it and I know that they're still around now! 

Noel's house party was my Saturday night.

I was so jealous of those bastards with a Blue Peter Badge.

 
The 90's/00's wasn't all girl power and cool freebies, it was also a time of very very questionable fashion trends..

 

Other random things...

I loved going to my local Tammy Girl on a Saturday with my girl friends and feeling so grown up that I was without my parents.

Metalic Silver eyeshadow...oh yeah...

I loved participating in my school 'Talent Show' several of which me and my friends smothered ourselves with roll on glitter and wore boob tubes and smash a routine that we had practised every lunchtime for weeks....yep...we looked fantastic.



Scunchies -  I had loads of them, I would scrape my hair back into the tightest possible high ponytail, then use loads of them (in size order of course) to secure it. Then spray around 3/4 of the cheapest can of hairspray to make sure it didn't go anyway...perfect!

Talking of hair....

 

Need I say any more?

So many things, I could go on, what are your favourite things about the 90's or 00's ?

L x

 

Tip top tanning tips

I am fortunate enough to have been on a professional tanning course hosted by St

Tropez. This included; consultation, professional application and pre/post tan

advice, along with a number of other things that I can now pass onto you.

OK, so where do I begin? Well, I know I'm not alone when I say that I so often see

very badly applied tans: so much so that I felt compelled to write this post.

However, there are a number of really simple things that you can do to ensure a

professional and natural look...and remember, most importantly, preparation is

KEY!

 

Wax, shave or epilate 48 hours before you tan.

Doing this will help avoid the brown 'dotted' look. Also, if you can, I recommend

that you use a longer lasting form of hair removal, because shaving is essentially

exfoliating a layer of tan each time you shave, making your legs a different colour

to the rest of your body!

 

Scrub off that old tan!

Think about it, if you apply new tan on patchy skin, the result will be uneven. This

one's a no brainer ­ use your favourite exfoliator and scrub, scrub, scrub!

 

Exfoliate

Use exfoliating gloves or your usual exfoliator all over, focusing on areas such as

elbows, heels and knees etc. This will scrub off any dead skin cells which will

enable an even tan.

 

Moisturise

Exactly the same as above. Anywhere you have dry skin, slather it on as tan will

dry a much darker shade on dry skin, resulting in...yup you've guessed it...an

uneven tan!

 

Right...so after you're de­fuzzed, scrubbed and moisturised, onto the tanning!

 

 

Gloves/Mitt

You can use either of these to apply your tan to avoid orange hands. Just ensure

they are a good fit for easy application.

 

Map your body into 'sections', start with the legs and work your way up. Apply the

tan in an upwards motion, making sure you don't miss anything. For the hands just

apply a bit of tan to the back of one hand and rub them together.

 

Finally use a buffing mitt.  I highly recommend this tip for a flawless finish!

 

Do you have any other tips for a beautiful tan?

 

L x

 

 

 

 

Coffee break review #1 - L’Oréal Jeans Effect nail polish.

I recently purchased a new nail polish from L’Oréal's Miss Denim Collection ­
Jeans Effect in colour - 865 Jean and Tonic.

 

 
The colour is lovely for Spring/Summer, a bright and cheerful coral and highly
pigmented, which meant I could get away with just one coat. The consistency was
also fantastic, made for a smooth application.
 
So, did I like the 'Jeans effect'? In a word ­ no. I didn't hate it, but I have to say that
it probably would've looked better in a dark blue to fit with the denim look.


 
Have you tried any nail polishes from this collection...and what did you think?

L x

Problem skin on a budget - Acne.

This has turned into an exceptionally long post, but I really want to share my experiences with you on Acne prone skin.

I've suffered from acne type spots for around 6 years now, typically I had perfect skin as a teenager, then rolling into my 20's I started developing acne spots. Fortunately there wasn't always a lot of spots, but the spots that I did have were always sore, unsightly and lasted for weeks.
 
Like most people with skin problems, I've tried almost every product out there that promises to get rid of acne and give 'perfect skin'. Suffice to say...none of these worked for me.
This is the two-pronged approach that worked for me;

First up - products.

(1) Its an oldie but a goodie...Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser. You can purchase this at Boots for £3.49!

                                   

Now, you may think I've confused this post with a snippet from a 1950's housewives beauty manual?! But Cold Cream has been used by women for hundreds of years and it is AMAZING.

I use it daily and it's a gentle way to remove all traces of make-up - even waterproof mascara! It looks like a thick moisturiser; just apply to skin as you would a normal cleanser. To remove it I use a muslin cloth - which is more gentle than a flannel.

(2) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser - £8.99 - from 'the pharmacy' section of drug store.

This stuff is fabulous! It's non-comodegenic (doesn't block pores) fragrance-free and PH balanced, specifically designed for acne-prone skin and it doesn't strip the skin either. Just apply and wash off with water - simple!

                                    

(3) Cetraben - again from the 'pharmacy' section of the drug store for only a couple of £'s.
I have to thank my other-half for this one, where as a life-long eczema sufferer he has a stash of creams for all occasions. He handed this to me on one of my bad days...and this is just something you'll have to try.

Cetraben is available at any Pharmacy - but you'll have to ask for it over the counter. It is primarily designed for people with Eczema as a hydrator. But, I use it as a face mask 2-3 times a week, cake it on and leave for 10-15 mins. Most of it will absorb (how much it absorbs will tell you how dry your skin was/is)...but the excess I wipe off with a cotton pad.

If you're wondering why I would use an Eczema cream as a face mask...ok?! Cetraben is an Emollient: and why are Emollients important? Emollients reduce water loss from skin, creating a barrier that protects your skin from various things that will irritate it; e.g. shampoos, shower gel etc. It also helps to reduce itching thereby allowing you to keep your hands off and therefore keep those pesky spots from erupting and leaving those that have already started from getting worse or being more prolonged. 

                              

(4) Simple kind to skin vital vitamin day cream.
Its important to choose a day cream specifically designed for sensitive skin and with a good SPF as excessive exposure to UV rays can sometimes make acne worse.

I like this product, its super hydrating, SPF 15, free of harsh chemicals and irritants and a bargain at only £5.60.

 

                     

Next...tips and lifestyle advice to ban those blemishes.
● Don't pick! They say "practise what you preach" and on this point even I MUST follow my own advice. It is super hard at times to keep your hands off your face. You DO NOT want to introduce germs and bacteria to give you more spots. REMEMBER there is more bacteria under your fingernails at any one time than on ANY other part of your body. Go figure-stop picking!

● If you use a muslin cloth as part of your routine, DO NOT re-use it as you'll just spread bacteria. Worse, you'll encourage more spots! Keep a stash of muslin cloths and use them once; you can buy them quite cheaply from places like Amazon.

● If you're having a particularly bad break-out...DO NOT use make up - unless you ABSOLUTELY have to. hmmm..."absolutely have to"...I'm talking you
have an interview, an important work  presentation or something similar. Be as make-up free as you can.

● Use a pillowcase made from natural material; i.e. Cotton or silk. Anything 'man made'  an encourage spots to burst in the night, then through natural movement in your sleep you could spread the bacteria all over your face - yuk!

I really hope this has been at least some help to you!

L x

A Coral Lip for Spring

For me, one of the best things about Spring/Summer is the amount of pretty lip colours that are on offer, and as ever I've been out-n-about and testing a few already -


(1) CHANEL - Levres Scintillantes Glossimer - colour 179

At £22.00 this is more on the luxury side of the make up range. I'm a huge fan of Chanel makeup, where although a little over priced I love that the fact it feels so luxurious. This lip gloss is no different. The wand type applicator holds a glossy, non sticky formula which is a pleasure to use, and although a subtle colour its high shine ensures your lips look fabulous after every application.

(2) REVLON - Super Lustrous Lipstick, in colour 'Lovers Coral' 825

I love the classic-look packaging of this lipstick. It's a perfect colour for those Spring days, enriched with Vitamin E, it feels really moisturising. The colour lives up to its name - a subtle coral - and at £7.49 it's a good deal.

 

(3) MAXFACTOR - Colour elixir giant pen stick - colour, Subtle Coral

I love this product! A lipstick with a high pigment but with the moisturising feel a lip gloss. The pen lets you have complete control over your application, use it almost like a lip-liner to begin, then fill in the lip for an all over colour. It doesn't look like much but at only £6.99 this product certainly packs a punch.

(4) REVLON - Colourburst Laquer Balm - colour 105 -Demure

Another cutie from Revlon! This chubby stick-type lip colour is quite sheer unlike the matte version. It feels very moisturising and is a good, subtle colour for spring day-wear.

 Tell me what colours are you loving for Spring?

 
L x

Braun Silk-épil 7681 Epilator

Right girls... on my recent quest for getting 'Summer ready' I invested in an...Epilator!

If you're like me, you will have spent countless hours, plucking, threading or waxing
yourself to within an inch of your life! Buying creams that claim 'painless hair removal'
which for me is super laborious when I also want my hair removal to last as long as
humanly possible.

In my quest I chose the Braun Silk­epil 768. Now at £86.00 you might be thinking "what
do I get for my money"?

Well, first up, I chose the Braun because, unlike other brands, it removes hairs that are
"as small as a grain of sand" which is great for me as I, ­ like you, am sure you­ HATE that
stubbly feeling?!

The Epilator itself is a very pretty, all white ergonomic thingy with a sparkly gel ­type
covering, ensuring a good grip.

Instantly you certainly feel that you're getting value for money with this product and it
comes with loads of attachments;

- The standard efficiency cap.
- Sensitive areas cap for...well ....those sensitive areas
- Facial cap, for eyebrows and any facial fuzz
- It also has a trimmer and a shaver.

You can use it in the shower, under running water, which is just perfect for maximum time
efficiency.

I think you'll agree that's a lot of stuff. But what you really want to know is...is it painful?
Well girls, if I said no, I'd be lying BUT its not as painful as waxing or threading - be brave
it isn't going to be traumatic! And whatever 'pain' there is you will, oddly, get used to it ­
eventually.

Over all I'd certainly recommend the Braun Silk­Epil. The hair removal lasts for around 4
weeks...so that's no plucking, no shaving and no waxing for a whole four weeks! I think
you'll agree that its certainly worth paying for.



What hair removal products are you loving?


L x

Spring favourites

So Spring is FINALLY here and I for one am happy to wave goodbye to those gloomy, dark winter nights and 'hello long Summer days', dewy make-up, sandals and pedi's!

Well, I don't know about you, but the first half of spring is pretty much trying to get rid of dry pasty skin, that all of that false heat havoc, cosmetic hauls, getting in the mood for the sunshine. So I wanted to share some of the things I've been trying out this spring to get in the mood...

first up...

                                                      No7 Youthful Glycolic Peel kit

Firstly I thought this was a bargain at £24.95! So you can imagine my delight when I discovered it was on offer for just £15.00! (who doesn't love a good discount?!)

The kit is a 3 step process designed to renew and recharge the skins surface, perfect for post-winter skin. It's a month's program and they recommend that you use it bi-weekly on non consecutive days.

Step 1 - The peel! You apply a whole mini-tube on a cotton pad onto fresh skin. It feels slightly tingly at first, but certainly not uncomfortable, and....

.....after 10 minutes.

Step 2 - Post-Peel Neutraliser! This is pretty self explanatory.  Just apply this with a cotton pad to neutralise the effects of step 1, rinse with water, just be careful not to get any in your eyes (eek!)

and finally...

Step 3 - Calming Recovery Balm - a lovely moisturiser to finish off with.
Instantly my skin felt incredibly baby soft, so it was pretty difficult to keep my hands off it. After the program was complete my skin felt permanently softer, looked smoother and brighter.

A real bargain for £15 ...I give this product a solid 9/10.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I'm absolutely loving this product and lets face it, a necessity. It removes make up, cleanses and soothes with NO RINSING. You can use it to remove; face, eyes, lips.
On a trip to my local drug store, I was actually looking for a make up remover, when I came across this, I was initially attracted to it for its packaging, it looks pretty professional and is huge, looks as though you would get loads of uses (it actually claims 200 uses) Personally I've actually had it for around 5-6 weeks now and still have around 1/4 of the bottle left, so we're going strong!!

Anyway it feels great, its non-scented, it doesn't have that drying effect or feel too perfumed, I've tried absolutely LOADS of make-up removers, they've had their flaws - too oily, too perfumed, too drying, too expensive - so I would absolutely recommend this, its a great price, lasts forever, feels like water, great on sensitive eyes.

 Definite 10/10.

Le Blush Creme de Chanel

A wonderful matte cream blush range from Chanel. The packaging really speaks for itself - a classic black compact.  Admittedly the colour looks pretty scary at first, but goes onto the skin to an even subtle but build-able colour.
I'd certainly recommend this product as a luxury product, there is a range of seven colours, the one that I've chosen is 69 INTONATION. RRP £28.

I score this product 9/10

Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Skin Illuminator
 

A welcome addition to any make up bag  - to add that dewy glow, that we all crave in those sunnier months. At £11.99 a good price for this product, available in four colours, goes on easily and feels light on the skin, perfect!

The colour I chose to match my skin tone was - 100 Bare Light.

 

 

 

 



Olay Regenerist 3 Point Super Cleansing System

 

I was really interested in making my cleansing routine the best it could be, as an alternative to the Clarisonic and at the bargain price at £26.99 I was certainly excited to give this a go.

 

I love this brush, it works on 2 x speeds, its soft enough to feel comfortable but firm enough to feel as though its working. Ideal to get baby soft, clean skin, use it with your favourite cleanser. You can use it in the shower as well for maximum time efficiency.
I love this tool as part of my daily cleansing routine.

 

 

 

I give this tool a 9/10.

St.Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan

And finally the ultimate solution for that pasty skin - fake tan! Although we certainly need to avoid that 'tangoed' look. To avoid any tanning mishaps I like to use a gradual self- tan, just apply it every time you get out of the shower, or every other time to avoid the colour building too quickly.

The St.Tropez Gradual Tan is my ultimate favourite - It feels a lot like a rich moisturiser although will sink into the skin easily, it smells great, builds a subtle natural and even tan and is very easy to apply.

As I have fair skin the colour I've chosen is light/medium.

RRP £14.50

 

 

Tell me your spring favourites that are getting you Summer ready!



L x